Ghosts of the Past Order w Marauder Flashbacks
by Nymphai
Summary: Each member of the Order has lost something to Vold. When everything changes, several members are forced to revisit the past and make an impossible choice. How far would you go to change the past? What would you sacrifice to ensure the future? SS/OC SB/OC
1. Flash in the Pan

(AN: I'm asking for some leaps of faith with some of the artistic license here, but I've tried to keep to the spirit of the characters and series, simply with some...modifications. Also, I'm still getting a handle on the time jumps, but it's important to the story that you guys have background without knowing everything, and this is the easiest way to accomplish that. I promise that the chapters will become smoother and more dialog heavy once the background is covered. Please review!)

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As James and Sirius stepped off their brooms in forests clearing, they composed their faces with carefully constructed looks of casual interest. They were, naturally, excited to see Remus again, but his rural home was foreign to the young men, and put them ill at ease. James was used to the life of a well-off suburban wizard, and still had a hard time seeing the country as anything more than a place to be avoided. Sirius had recently come to live with James, but even before that he had no taste of the country in the ominous Black townhouse in London. Nevertheless, they suspected Remus needed them, and if the trip was too boring they could count on Remus' colorful parents to conjure up something. With this in mind, the two approached the door of the ancient country manor and knocked confidently at its rough hewn oak door, unaware of the effect this vacation would have on their lives.

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Sirius had the same dream most nights, if he wanted a break from the green-tinted dream of the dying screams of his best friend, he had to choose between the memory of her tortured convulsions and she was ripped away, or the more familiar but still ominous memory of that summer at the Lupin's house, deep in the Irish hills. There was nothing bad in the dream itself, but every memory was like a drug, and in the waking world he was careful to compartmentalize his thoughts and avoid the rage inducing memories of a girl he could barely stand to even speak the name of. In his dreams he lost that power, and he would wake up feeling the same hollow loss, as fresh as it was at dusk 20 years ago. Tonight he was roused at the Lupin's stoop by a rough shaking that brought him back to the reality of the hose he swore never to return to.

"Oi, sorry to wake you, but Molly's here, so if you want to stock up on good food for the week, you best make your way down"

Sirius blinked hazily as James, no Harry, materialized out of the grimy darkness.

"Just a dream" he thought to himself as he swung his feet out of bed and nodded to Harry in appreciation.

As the war loomed closer, Molly was a less frequent visitor to Grimauld Place, and to the dismay of all her absences meant the house was subjugated to the cooking of Sirius and Remus, both of whom had paid too little attention during the cooking lessons of their youth. A visit from Molly was a chance at good food, and the men had developed a hording fixation, socking away as many of Molly pies and rolls as possible to tide them over past Sirius' still moving fish dishes and Lupins burnt spaghetti. Incidentally, the mystery of how one can even burn pasta was still afloat.

Sirius took his seat next to Harry at the expansive kitchen table and waited eagerly for eggs, bacon waffles and the works. Instead he got a steaming plate of properly cooked spaghetti and garlic bread with mixed vegetables, along with a picnic basket stuffed to the brim with meat pies and sandwiches. Sirius noticed that Harry's basket was easily double the size of the others, naturally.

"Molly, you are a godsend. Incidentally, isn't this a bit of a non-traditional breakfast?"

Before Molly could respond, Snape's cold voice broke in, sneering "As some of the more...ahem...active....members of the house could tell you, its well past noon, and some of us with duties have already had breakfast, while you were taking a dog nap."

Sirius felt Remus' hands on pressing him down and keeping him from ripping of Snape's greasy, traitorous head.

"Why don't you go fuck yourself you sniveling creep?"

"! There is no need for such profanity in front of the children," Molly huffed.

The three supposed children, who were all very close to being adults, couldn't help sighing at Molly's insistence that they were still innocent angels in need of protection from swearing.

Sirius growled, threw off Remus's hands, and got up "Sorry, Molly. Much thanks for the food," and stomped off, annoyed at his state.

Not only was he under house arrest a la Dumbledore and in a house that he hated, but he had to share it with the currently homeless Snape, who he had orders not to attack.

That bastard had ruined everything, sold out countless witches and wizards, yet was still ever so trusted , always getting a second chance. It really was the limit, and Sirius decided it was time to confront Dumbledore about this living arrangement.

Luckily for him, at that moment his chance rang the doorbell, set off his mothers infernal racket, and walked inside in a swirl of blue robes and white hair.

"Professor! Just who I've been hoping for! A-" Sirius stopped dead at the look in Dumbledores eyes, a strange mixture of hope and terror he had never before seen in all his years with the headmaster.

"There has been...a development"

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	2. Nocturnal Developments

"Severus, I have to go," the red haired girl whispered glancing around for signs of a prefect of professor.

The dark haired boy responded with an insistent kiss as the they stood in the alcove, barely breathing with a mixture of paralyzing fear of detection and triumphant ecstasy at their clandestine meetings. The girl wrapped his arms around her waist and indulged with another kiss of her own before whispering "Tomorrow" and softly running down the hall back to Gryffindor before they noticed she was missing.

For a moment longer the boy stayed slumped against the wall touching his lips and allowing a rare unguarded smile transform his face before he too hurried off, eager to retreat to Slytherin before he could be caught and punished.

Running down the hall, he was surprised to see her ahead of him again. She should not be here, it was nowhere near Gryffindor and she would surely be caught.

He tried to call to her but could make no sound.

With dread, he watched her collapse to the ground, convulsing.

He reached out his hand to her, only to see the hallway expand, taking her farther away.

He saw the dark figures approaching her with greed in their eyes.

He screamed at her to run, but again was stifled.

The figures bent down to her, wands drawn.

Snape awoke screaming, the last scene of his dream still fresh before his eyes: a young girl convulsing as green phantoms wrapped around her body, screaming for help that he could not give.

* * *

Every night it was the same.

* * *

Remus opened his eyes, willing himself not to sleep. In the last two weeks his normally repressed dreams has been making increasing appearnaces, and strange new ones were making themselves known. Figures in dark hoods, stone altars, and a sense of dread began to creep even into his waking world. Most disturbing of all though were the dreams of Raina, preserved forever at 18. Yet he couldnt shake the feeling that the dreams were real, that despite everything those dreams of her alive, 18, were reality, even today, and that she was asking for his help, asking for him to save her.

He had gone to all the experts when it happened, demanded Dumbledore's help to track her down, and at every turn he had been gently told that it was common for the siblings of telepaths to have trouble accepting death, that they tended to interpret dreams as missives from their loved ones when in fact they were just part of the grieving process. After years of work and denial, Remus was able to accept this, to ignore the dreams, the feeling of failing as a brother, of not being able to protect her.

But this time. It was different. He was positive it was really her, he could feel her near him, whispers to let him know she was alive.

There was nothing he could do though. Dumbledore listened with polite disbelief and sympathy, Sirius refused to acknowledge she had ever existed, and Snape would see reminders of her as an attack, rather than a plea for help. So Remus was on his own, unable to convince anyone that she needed help, that she was coming back.

He gave up the fight for sleep and rather hoped that tonights dream would show her smiling, free.

* * *

Deep within the bowels of an ancient rock, a whirlwind battered the gauzy drapes and overturned the tables. As the bits of rock and dust settled the makeshift room became once-more visible. On the palette on the floor, nothing remained of the long-time prisoner except a smear of faintly sweet smelling blood and a few grotesque keepsakes.

* * *

The dark missives rattled with fear at the coming punishment, and turned away from the dainty pair of feet and once soft hands that remained magically shackled while the rest of her was nowhere to be found. Deep within the cave, a guttural roar of blood-freezing rage could be heard.

* * *


	3. Three

A/N: I've had this is my mind for years, but its not taking well in reality. While this scenario remains focal, I am debating nipping this in the bud and restating, telling the story in a less passive voice. I need some type of feedback to make sure that is agreeable. If I still have no reviews, I'll be re-writing and posting a new start on the same story sometime soon.

Dumbledore shot an apologetic look towards Sirius, "I'm afraid I need to see Severus and Remus at once."

Sirius was confused by the look and the pairing, but delighted to have Snape gone.

"Sure. Just hold- OI! REMUS! SNAPE! PROFF WANTS YA BOTH"

"You know, I could have accomplished as much on my own" Dumbledore sighed, failing to hide the twinkle in his eye at Sirius simple yet effective methods.

The two men came down the stairs, as different as could be: one the image of scattered energy and frenetic haste, the other dark, cool and always a tad too collected.

"Sir?" asked Severus in a voice that most would hear as deferential, but that Sirius heard as insolent.

"We need to leave. Now." At a confused glance from Remus, Dumbledore hastily elaborated "A situation has arisen that requires immediate use of your specialities, and thanks to the impossibility of apparating directly here or to Hogwarts, it is possible we have already lost too much time."

Dumbledore had already turned on his heel to leave but was forced to stop once again at the sound of three pairs of footsteps.

"Sirius, I'm afraid your presence will not be prudent."

Sirius growled, more out of frustration and dejectedness than anger, and turned away.

"I promise you will have a full report as soon as the situation is stable. You have my word."

Feeling once again useless and left out, the haggard man stared at the floor, unwilling to meet his friends quiet sympathy or his enemies sneer at his rejection.

* * *

Too short of time to delay any longer, the trio hastened out the door and towards the surreal event currently attended to by a flustered Madame Pomfrey and shocked Minerva in the headmasters office.

They were a short hike from Hogwarts when Albus broke the silence.

"No need to try to surmise my thoughts Snape, I have every intention on fully briefing you in a moment. First however, I need both of your words that no matter what I tell you, you will remember that a life hangs in the balance and we have no time for a breakdown or any superciloius explanations. If you are rendered immobile I am afraid I will have to talk the liberty of levitating you to my office, an unpleasant experience for us all." Somehow Dumbledore was able to keep at a near run while giving this speech, defying all laws of aging and outstepping even his relatively young companions.

"Of course, Sir."

Dumbledore swiveled his head to ascertain Remus's response, and with a grim nod from the steeled wolf, sighed.

"Today a loud noise was heard in my office, and convinced half the house elves that Hogwarts was under attack. When Minerva went to investigate, she was shocked to find a young woman lying prostate on my desk, and rushed to help her. However, it appears the woman is bound to the desk, and all efforts to remove her or destroy the desk have proved fruitless.' Here Dumbledore paused for a quick breath, which Severus used to step in.

"Sir, while an interesting predicament, I fail to see the urgency. Sir."

"The urgency, my dear Professor Snape, is one, that someone managed to appirate into the impregnable Hogwarts, and my office, the most fortified part of it, without setting off any alarms. The more pressing urgency however, is that the woman is in desperate need of medical care and protection, and cannot be fully served while stuck to a desk."

They had come to the main doors now, and Dumbledore paused long enough to put a hand on each mans shoulder and cast a sympathetic look.

* * *

"You need to know...her injuries are rather graphic...she is missing her hands and feet." Even cold Snape blanched at such a serious and cruel injury. Lupin was a very delicate shade or green. "We believe...she sustained them by apparating out of magical manacles. Remus, Severus....we think its Raina. We think she's escaped."


End file.
